Uniontown passed it. Morganfield may be next.
The Morganfield City Council is reviewing the same ordinance, which was recently adopted by the Uniontown City Council, allowing golf carts to be driven on city streets. During their regular monthly meeting Thursday, the council opened discussion about the proposed ordinance that has stirred much enthusiasm in Uniontown.
On June 15, Uniontown passed the ordinance allowing residents to drive carts on city streets and has since had no trouble. District 2 Magistrate Jerri Floyd says the first cart to be inspected on Monday passed and many more citizens are lining up to be next. All inspections are conducted by the Union County Sheriff’s Office, as it would be with any other vehicle.
Uniontown modeled their ordinance from the City of Winchester, Ky., who legalized golf carts on city streets in their community in 2008. Morganfield adopted the first reading of the same ordinance as Uniontown.
Morganfield City Attorney Mike Williamson, who as Uniontown’s city attorney as well, has become well-versed in the legal requirements necessary to drive carts on city streets. He reminded the council that each individual wishing to drive his/her golf cart on city streets would be subject to all traffic laws, including car seats and seat belts. State law also provides that the golf vehicles not be driven on any state highway, which eliminates the use of Main Street (Hwy 56) and Morgan Street (Hwy 60).
The state requirements are lengthy. Some of the minimum requirements include (but are not limited to):
- vehicle must be a four-wheeled cart;
- vehicle cannot carry more than four people;
- operator must be 18 years old and have valid operator’s license;
- vehicle shall not be operated at a speed over 35 mph;
-operator cannot cross roadway at an intersection where the roadway being crossed has a speed limit of more than 35 mph;
- operator is subject to traffic regulation of KRS Chapter 189;
- operator must display a slow-moving vehicle emblem;
- operator must have proof of insurance inside golf cart at all times of operation;
- vehicle may only be driven during daylight hours; and
- vehicle must meet federal motor vehicle safety standards for low-speed vehicles.
But there were still many questions about the law and about residents already in close proximity to the golf course.
From a policing perspective, Police Chief Tom Carmon questioned how it would affect residents on Bell Hite Road, adjacent to the Breckinridge Golf Course. Carmon says officers have allowed residents to drive the short distance from Bell Hite to the clubhouse in the past, as the carts do not pose a hazard and typically travel that road by daylight. But he cautioned that such an ordinance might force these individuals to adapt to the higher standards, thereby tying officers’ hands in the future.
Uniontown added a provision in the final reading of their ordinance that the cart could not haul a utility trailer, vehicle or any other object. Morganfield is considering this addition as well.
After approving the first reading of the ordinance on Thursday, the council is expected to pass the second and final reading next month on August 26.
In other matters:
*The council has amended their application for a construction and demolition landfill to include a possible location behind Rayloc. The application will be resubmitted with both the previous location choice, at the end of the airstrip, and the new location choice, in the Industrial Park. The area at the end of the airstrip has been mined and was thereby unsuitable as a CDD landfill space. This landfill is to be used strictly for city/county government purposes and is not open to the public.
* City Administrator David Presser reported that the city in seeing negative income for the end of June, but for the fiscal year as a whole, is in very good shape because the city sold more volume in gas and lost very little.
* The council approved the hire of an additional dispatcher at the Police Department to offset the loss an experienced employee who is due to retire in one year’s time. By hiring the second dispatcher now, the candidate can finish class and on-site training requirements prior to the retirement of the current dispatcher.
* The next regular meeting of the Morganfield City Council will be Thursday, August 16 at 5 p.m. at city hall. All meetings are open to the public.
